Porsche adapts to the new situation: combustion engines return to the 718

The Porsche 718 models had a clear roadmap toward the full electrification of the range. But market reality has caused the strategy for this model to change considerably. In fact, the possibility is being considered that they will again be equipped with combustion engines, and that they could continue to be offered alongside the electric models.

This goes beyond sharing two types of powertrain, since the aim is to take advantage of the market reality, which continues to accept cars with this type of engine. And, considering that the European Union has decided to postpone the phase-out of vehicles with combustion engines.

The PPE Sport platform was designed to create a monocoque with a battery and electric motor. However, work has been done so that petrol variants can exist. These may be more attractive to buyers of combustion-engined cars, and not only in Europe, which would allow the model to be present in other geographic markets.

The redesign work on the PPE Sport platform will require transforming a battery-based platform with a flat floor so that it can accommodate an internal combustion engine and all its components. To do this, a new internal structural module, a reinforced rear bulkhead and a subframe capable of supporting the engine and transmission will be incorporated.

These modifications will change the vehicle’s architecture, the management of the load and the driving dynamics that the driver of a Porsche 718 has always enjoyed. The highest-performance variants of the current generation of the Porsche 718 will remain in production, such as the RS and GT4 RS versions. With this, there will be an offer of high-performance models.

At the end of the 2020s, the fifth generation of the Porsche 718 will arrive, which will demonstrate that the German brand remains a benchmark when it comes to sporting identity, even though an energy change occurs, changing the energy source but not the sensations the model conveys.

Alongside the Porsche 718, other models from the brand such as the Macan will benefit from this type of variant, combining combustion, hybrid and electric engines. In this way, there will be a type of engine for every type of buyer and, with this variety, the brand’s figures will improve.